Pour-out closure



March 23, 1943.. w. A. sHEAFFER POUR-OUT yGLOSUREI- Filed Feb. 5. 1941Patented Mar. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES artnr ori-*lcs POUR- OUT CLOSUREAppiication, February 5, 1941, Serial No. 377,408

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a pour-out closure and has special referenceto a spout for directing and for controlling the flow of fluid fromacontainer and for sealing the contents of the container when not inuse.

' More particularly, this invention relates to a pour-out closure forbottles or other containers comprising a main body portion having acentral opening with connecting means about the opening for detachableengagement with the neck ofthe bottle, the main body portion having anoblique spout and an open-ended passage eX- tending axially of the spoutin communication with the central opening to form pouring and ventopenings with means operable in the passage to close or to open thepouring and vent openings simultaneously.

vThe present invention will hereinafter be described in the associationof a pour-out closure with a bottlefor containing writing fluids whereinit may be desirable to fill small individual bottles of writing uid froma supply bottle. It is essential, of course, to seal hermetically thelarger supply bottle when stored and not in use while it is desirable toreadily and to conveniently direct and control the flow of fluid fromthe bottle when supplying the individual bottles.

As above stated, the closure is provided with an open-ended passageextending axially of a spout to provide pouring and vent openings. Thevent opening permits air toenter the container replacing the fluidpoured from the bottle.I The provision of the air vent, of course,avoids the pulsating eiTect ordinarily obtained where a single openingis common to both the pouring and vent passages. The vent opening is ofsuch a character as will prevent the ow of fluid out of the pouringopening when the vent opening is closed so that in tilting the bottle,if the bottle is full, the uid will not spill before the nozzle of thepouring spout may be directed into the individual bottle and the flow offluid from the pouring spout may be readily stopped when the latterbottle is full.

A single means is operable in the passage forming the pouring and'ventopenings so that such openings may be closed simultaneously. In one formof construction shown in the drawing the means for operating to close orto open the pouring and vent openings is removed entirely from thepassage whereas in the other form shown in the drawing the means ismerely moved in the passage to unseal the vent opening and a secondcommunicating passage formlng the pouring opening.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a pour-out closure ofthe character indicated above wherein a common means is operable toclose or to open pouring and vent openings simultaneously.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pour-out closure forbottles of the type hereinabove mentioned wherein the flow of fluid fromthe supply container into an individual container may be directed andcontrolled and wherein the means for directing and controlling the flowoperates to seal the contents of the container when not in use.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a pour-out closure ofthe type indicated above which is comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture, is efficient and simple in operation, and is durable.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter be moreparticularly pointed out and, for a more complete understanding of thecharacteristic features of this invention, reference may now be had tothe following description when taken together with the accompanyingdrawing, in which latter:

Figure l is a plan elevational View of a pourout closure embodying thefeatures of this invention, the closure being shown as applied to abottle for containing writing fluids;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the pour-out closureshown in Fig. l, the bottle being shown fragmentarily in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an underneath elevational view of the pour-out closure shownin Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of the stem for sealing the pouringand vent openings, the stem being removed from the pour-out closure;

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the pour-out closurewith the stem removed therefrom; and

Fig. l6 is a modified form of pour-out closure embodying the features ofthis invention.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. l to 5,inclusive thereof, the pour-out closure of this invention is shown asbeing adapted for use with a bottle lll having-v an externally threadedneck portion H. The bottle has been shown with external threads on theneck thereof merely for the purpose of indieating a connecting meanswhich may have detachable engagement with a pour-out closure although,of course, it will be understood that other connecting means may besubstituted' therefor and that the pour-out closure may be adapted tofrictionally engage the bore of the neck in accordance with standardusage.

The pour-out closure I2 comprises a main body portion I3 having acentral opening I4 communicating with an enlarged end opening, thelatter having threaded connecting means I5 thereabout for detachableengagement with the threaded connecting means of the neck II of thebottle. A Washer I5 is preferably disposed adjacent the shoulder formedat the juncture of the relatively enlarged and reduced openings, the endof the neck of the bottle resting against the washer when the closure isin position on the bottle.

The main body portion I3 of the closure is provided with an obliquespout Il having an open-ended passage I8 extending axially thereof incommunication with the central opening I4. The passage I8 is provided atthe pouring opening thereof with internal threads I9 and is reduced atthe other end thereof to form a vent opening 23. The shoulder, formed atthe juncture of the relatively enlarged and reduced portions of thepassage I8 at the vent opening end, is preferably tapered to form a Seat2|.

Means is provided in the passage I8 operable to close or to open thepouring and vent openings simultaneously, such means being shown in theform of a stem 22 of varying cross section. A reduced portion 23 of thestem engages the vent opening 2! and a tapered portion 2l!- formedbetween the portions 22 and 23 is tapered to fit the seat 2l. Externalthreads 25 are formed at the opposite end of the stem 22 for threadedlyengaging the internal threads I3 of the pouring opening of the spout.The stem 22 has an enlarged head portion 23 for externally operating thestem so that it may be removed from the passage to open the pouring andvent openings simultaneously when it is desired to remove any portion ofthe contents of the bottle i3, the stem being moved into place in thepassage to seal the pouring and vent openings simultaneously for storageof the bottle.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 6 of the drawing, a modifiedform of pour-out closure is shown comprising a main body portion 21having a central threaded opening 28 for detachable engagement withexternal threads on the neck of a bottle. The main body portion 2'! hasan oblique spout 29 and an open-ended passage 30 of varying diametersextending axially of the spout and a communicating passage 3l extendingangularly to the axially extending passage, both passages being incommunication with the central opening 2S through apertures 32 and 33.The open-ended passage 3B of varying diameters forms a vent opening 34in communication with anintermediate chamber 35, the latter chamberbeing in communication with the passage 3| which extends angularly tothe axial passage 30.

The end of the passage 30 opposite to that of the vent opening 34 isprovided with internal threads 36 to threadedly engage and receive athreaded end 31 of a solid stem 38, the stem being of varying diametersto provide a portion 39 for engaging the vent opening 34 extending froma relatively enlarged portion 43, the juncture between the portions 39and 40 being tapered to seat on a similarly tapered end of the chamber35. The diameter of the chamber 35 is of substantially greater crosssection thanl the portion 4B of the stem 38. The intermediatepertion 4Iof the stem 38 is substantially greater in diameter than the portion 40and is provided with a taper at the juncture therebetween to seat on asimilarly tapered portion of the passage to close or to open the pouringopening 3l when the stem is manipulated by an external operating head42.

When it is desired to pour a portion of the contacts of the containerinto an individual container the operating head 42 of the stem 38 isunscrewed to a position such that the reduced end 39 clears the ventopening 34 and the tapered shoulder of the intermediate portion Il-I ofthe stem clears the tapered seat in the passage 33 and the pouringopening 3|. The thumb or forenger may be placed over the vent opening 34until the pouring opening overlies the opening of the individualcontainer into which the uid is to be poured whereafter the vent openingis unsealed so that air may pass therethrough and through aperture 32into the bottle to replace fluid which may now be removed from thesupply bottle through the aperture 33 and pouring opening 3|.

The flow of fluid from the supply container is controlled and flowssmoothly without any pulsating effect into the individual bottle untilthe amount desired has been reached when the thumb or forefinger isagain placed over the vent 34 to stop the ow of iiuid through thepouring 30 opening whereafter the operating head 42 is rotated to returnthe solid stem into its initial position to close the pouring and ventopenings, the closing of the openings being thereby done simultaneously.This operation is identically the same with that of the modificationpreviously described except that in one instance the means operable inthe passage to close or to open the pouring and vent openingssimultaneously is entirely removed in one and only partially removed inthe other.

While but two embodiments of this invention are herein shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof maybe apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention and, therefore, the same is only tobe limited by the scope of the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga central opening with connecting means about said opening fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage extending axially ofsaid spout in communication with said central o'pening forming pouringand vent openings, and means operable in said passage and extending inthe axial direction thereof to close or to open saidA ipouring and ventopenings simultaneously, said operating means being removable from saidlpassage for pouring.

V2. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga central opening with connecting means about said op-ening fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle,v said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an apen-ended passage extending axially ofsaid spout in communication with said central opening forming pouringand vent openings, and an externally operable stem in said 'passage inthe axial direction thereof to close or to open said pouring and ventopenings simultaneously, said stem being removable from said passage forpouring.

3. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga central opening with connecting means about said opening fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body p-ortionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage extending axially ofsaid spout in communication with said central opening forming pouringand vent openings, and an externally operable solid stem in said passageand extending in the axial direction thereof to close or to open saidpouring and vent openings simultaneously, said stem being removable fromsaid passage for pouring.

4. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga central opening with connecting means about said opening fordeta-chable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage of varying diametersextending axially of said spout in communication with said centralopening fonming pouring and vent openings of relatively enlarged andreduced cross sections respectively, and an externally operable solidstem of varying cross section in said passage and extending in the axialdirection thereof to close or to open said pouring and vent openingssimultaneously, said stem being removable from said passage for pouring.

5. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga central opening with connecting means about said opening fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage of varying diametersextending axially of said spout in communication 4with said centralopening forming pouring and V-ent openings of relatively enlarged andreduced cross sections respectively, said enlarged and reduced portionsof said passage being connected by a tapered portion forming a seattherebetween, and a stem extending in the axial direction of saidpassage, said stem having enlarged and reduced diameter with a taperedconnecting portion for engagement with said seat and an externalliyaccessible head to close or to open said pouring and vent openingssimultaneously, said stem being removable from said passage for pourmg.

6. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga central opening with connecting means about said opening fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage extending axially ofsaid spout in communication with said central opening forming pouringand vent openings, and a solid stem operable in said passage andextending in the axial direction thereof to close or to open saidpouring and vent openings simultaneously, said stem having an enlargedhead for operation externally 'o'f said closure and having threadedconnecting means adjacent said head `for engaging co-operating means ofsaid passage to prevent accidental displacement of said stem, said stembeing removable from said passage for pouring.

7. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga central opening with connecting means about said opening fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage extending axially ofsaid spout and a communicating passage extending angularly thereto bothin communication with said central opening forming pouring and ventopenings, and means operable in said passage of said oblique spout andextending in the axial direction thereof to close or to open saidpouring and Vent openings simultaneously, said means being removablefrom said passage for pouring.

8. A pour-out closure yfor bottles comprising a main body portion havinga pair of central openings With connecting means about said openings fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage extending axially ofsaid spout and a communicating passage extending angularly thereto bothin communication with said central openings forming pouring and ventopenings, and a solid stem operable in said passage of said obliquespout and extending in the axial direction thereof to close or to opensaid vpouring and Vent openings simultaneously, said means beingremovable from said passage for pouring.

9. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga central opening with connecting means about said opening fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage of varying diametersextending axially of said spout and a communicating passage extendingangularly thereto both in communication with said central openingforming pouring and vent openings and an intermediate chamber, and meansoperable in said passage and extending in the axial direction thereof toclose or to open said pouring and Vent openings simultaneously, saidcentral opening being in continuous communication with said intermediatechamber, said means being removable from said passage for pouring.

10. A pour-out closure for bottles comprising a main body portion havinga pair of central openings with connecting means about said opening fordetachable engagement with the neck of a bottle, said main body portionhaving an oblique spout and an open-ended passage of varying diametersextending axially of said spout and a communicating passage extendingangularly thereto both in communication with said central openingsforming pouring and vent openings and an intermediate chamber, and asolid stem operable in said passage and extending in the axial directionthereof to close or to open said pouring Iand vent openingssimultaneously, said stem being of smaller cross section than saidintermediate chamber permitting continuous communication between saidchamber and said central openings, said stem being removable from saidpassage for pouring.

WALTER. A. SHEAFFER.

